Improvement in water-meters



W. VAN A-NDEN.

- Walter-Meters.

No.128338, Patented June 25, 1872,

;sfI` :f 111921.

PATENT OEEICE.

ILLIAM VAN ANDEN, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

IMPRovislvusNTy IN WATER-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,338, dated June 25, 1872.

Specification describing a new and Improved Water-Meter, invented by WILLIAM VAN AN- DEN, of Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York.

The rst part of my invention consists of an auxiliary or secondary wheel, or approximate wheel, combined with the principal wheel in such manner that the form and capacity of the passages for the water may be changed at will, to regulate the pitch of the buckets and speed of the wheel, so that it can be readily adjusted t0 the Standard-measuring-and-recording apparatus, and thereby economize in the time and labor of adjusting the meters after they are made, as all are required to be, no matter how carefully made. The second part of the invention consists of a water-passage through the hood which protects the central portion of a Wheel, Working on a vertical axis, from the Weight of the water column to the upper journal-bearing to lubricate it with water; and the third part of the invention consists of a novel construction of the wheel and register-case, s that the whole comprises only three parts, which are all fitted for connecting together and attaching the working parts by lathe-work of a simple and cheap character.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved water-meter taken on the line m as of Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the wheel. Fig. 3 is a plan of the bottom of the wheel; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line y y of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In this example the main or principal wheel consists of the inverted cup-shaped disk A and the spiral buckets B, the cup being in a higher plane than the upper edges of the buckets, and the latter extending downwardly as they increase in width, and forming oblique chutes or passages for the water. The auxiliary or secondary wheel consists of a similar'but deeper inverted cup, C, having the curved points D formed by deep notches in the side of the cup from the edge toward the bottom, which said points are spaced the same as the buckets B of the wheel, and are curved outward to conform to the lines of the under edges of the said buckets, as clearly shown in the drawing. Both the wheels are secured to shaft E, be-

the nut slightly they'may be released so thaty they can be shifted relatively to each other on said shaft, which is the object of the invention, and by which the wheel is readily adjusted,

so as to turn the requisite number of times in passing a given quantity of vwater to record properly on the dial H the amount of water passed. This is effected by shifting the points D of the auxiliary wheel forward or back of the lower edges of the upper surface of the buckets D, to change the pitch and make it greater or less, as required. Thus, however much the wheel may exceed or fall short of the speed required to register correctly by the standard register made for it, it can be corrected readily.

This invention is alike applicable to Wheels of other construction, and I propose to apply it to any wheels to which it is adapted.

In the use of vertical wheels for meters it is found very desirable to prevent the Water from resting on the cent-ral portions thereof, and for this purpose a hood or water-shed of the character represented at J is commonly used, and the bearing or socket for the upper end of the shaft is of necessity arranged in the lower part of this hood, where it is inaccessible for applying oil from the outside, and the air prevents the water from flowing up to it, so'that it soon runs dry and wears away rapidly, and also wears the shaft.

Now, for remedying this, I propose to make a small hole, a, down through the hood or cover J from the top, to allow the water to ow down through to said bearing and thus keep it lubricated.

My improved case consists of the short enlarged section K K of a pipe, with ends L for coupling with other pipes by means of union joints and the like, and the part M, joining K near the lower end and at right angles to it, thesaid part K K/ being in two parts, screwing together at N, and each having a bearing for the shaft. The 'part M has a large opening in the front, and contains the clock-gear, which, together with the frame P, are introduced through said opening, and ts upon the annular recess Q. The glass face is tted watertight against the shoulder S, and is made fast by the ring T, which constitutes the third part of the case.

It will be observed that all the inishin g of this case can be done by lathe-work, which, being simple and cheap, renders this form of case particularly desirable on the score of economy.

The shaft U, which has to be fitted in separately from lthe other gears, is mounted at one end in the socket of a screw, W, screwing through the side of the part M, and having a conical head, X, screwing against a correspondingly-shaped seat upon the outer wall of said part M, packing the whole water-tight.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- WILLIAM VAN ANDEN.

Witnesses GEO. W. MABEE, T. B. Mosman. 

